Through-transom marine propulsion unit



Feb. 13, 1968 c. E. MACDONALD ETAL 3,368,516

THROUGH-TRANSOM MARINE PROPULSION UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original FiledJuly 7, 1958 gm ra EM m Maw M \0 waaw v cJ Feb. 13, 1968 c. E. MACDONALDETAL 3,368,516

THROUGH-TRANSOM MARINE PROPULSION UNIT Orig inal Filed July v, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.'2

1/. C: Barker G. E Macaona /d y J. M. Fina arson United States Patent3,368,516 THROUGH-TRANSOM MARINE PROPULSION UNIT Charles E. MacDonald,Hoquiam, and John W. Anderson and Jerry C. Barker, Seattle, Wash.,assignors, by mesne assignments, to Eaton Yale & Towne, Inc., acorporation of Ohio Continuation of application Ser. No. 746,920, July7, 1958. This application May 15, 1961, Ser. No. 112,163 18 Claims. (Cl.11535) This is a continuation of US. patent application Ser. No. 746,920filed July 7, 1958, titled Improved Through- Transom Marine PropulsionUnit, now abandoned.

This invention relates to that type of marine propulsion unit combiningfeatures both of an inboard and outboard motor, and one, moreespecially, having an engine permanently installed within the boat andpassing its drive along an approximate horizontal axis through anopening in the transom to the head end of a power leg occupying anoutboard position, the power leg passing the drive downwardly to apropeller shaft carried on the lower end of the leg. While there arevarious terms used in the trade to describe this type of drive,throughtransom is perhaps the most commonly used.

It is the principal object of the present invention to devise athrough-transom boat drive providing means by which engagement of theunderwater portion of the power leg with any obstruction the resistantforce of which would be apt to damage the leg causes such leg to swingupwardly into the clear.

Other objects and advantages looking to the general perfection of athrough-transom drive will, with the foregoing, appear and be understoodin the course of the following description and claims, the inventionconsisting in the novel construction and in the adaptation andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional viewillustrating a through-transom drive constructed to embody the preferredteachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken on line2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view drawn on line33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view drawn on line4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5. is a perspective view drawn to an enlarged scale to portray oneof two paired slugs employed as a key to releasably couple the outboardand inboard portionstogether, and also to locate the power legselectively in either an operative or an inoperative position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the power leg asit appears when the same swings upwardly to clear an obstruction, thescale being reduced from that of the preceding views; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view representing the manner in whichthe power leg of the present structure swings laterally for steeringpurposes.

With reference being had to said drawings, the numeral 10 designates thetransom, transom wall, or stern closure means of a boat or walledvessel. A circular opening 11 is provided therein, located well abovethe water-line. A power plant (not shown) is mounted inboard to theimmediate front of said transom with its drive shaft pointing rearwardlyin centered, or approximately center relation, to the opening 11, themounting being permanent on a suitable bed. A clutch housing 12 is fixedto the engine block and provided thereby is a center-bored tailpiece orhollow forward drive support housing 13 which extends into andmoderately beyond the transom opening ice to serve as a drive support.Adjacent its rear so as to be exposed to the rear of the transom thistail-piece has a transverse horizontal cross-bore 14 so located as totraverse the bottom portion of the longitudinal centerbore 15. A pair oflocking slugs 16 and 17 are inserted from opposite ends in thiscross-bore. Each such slug (see FIG. 5) is substantially cylindrical inshape and has a center-bore 18. Upon its inner end each slug presents abias-cut rib 20 which is disposed central to the width of the slug andhas two bias-cut flats 21 and 22 located at opposite sides thereof in acommon plane stepped below said central rib. A pin 23 is receivedthrough the centerbores of the two slugs and is threaded upon one endfor reception of a nut 24. Upon the other end is a head 25 drilledtransversely to receive a pintle 26 serving as the fulcrum for abell-crank toe lever 27. The camming toe of this lever is forked and isdesignated by 30, with the arrangement one in which the high side of thecam presses the slugs directively toward one another when the arm of thelever is swung upwardly about its fulcrum into the position shown inFIG. 4. A hook 31 carried upon the free end of the lever catches overthe aft end of the pin 23 to releasably hold the lever in such cammingposition. When located in this position the side flats 21 and 22 eachprotrude moderately beyond the wall of the centerbore 15. Uponswingingthe lever 27 into a position which inactivates the cam the sideflats are backed away sufficient to clear the wall of the center-bore,the center rib 20, however, still protruding into said bore. Thefunction of the described locking slugs is to releasably secure withinsaid center-bore the neck section 33 of a power leg support means,gimbal housing or drive support member 34, and will be hereinafter moreparticularly described. Suffice it to here say that said neck sectionpresents a circumscribing groove 39 arranged to register with thecross-bore 14, and that the perimeter of the neck section has upper andlower paired chordal flats, as 35 and 36, spaced in correspondence withthe spacing between the side flats of the two locking slugs when thelatter are pressed inwardly by the camming head of the toe lever.

At the top and bottom of the gimbal housing and diametrically oppositeone another there are provided inwardly pointing pivot pins 37. Thesepins carry the ring component 38 of a gimbal joint or intermediatemember, with the body component 40 thereof being pivoted in turn to thering by pivot pins 41. The hollow neck section 42 of such body fits inand is fixedly secured to the head end of a power leg 43. A verticaltail shaft 44 is journaled for rotation within the power leg, havingdriving connection from its lower end to a propeller 45.

To carry the drive through the hollow center of said gimbal joint from adriven shaft 46 at the front to the head end of said tail shaft 44 atthe rear there is provided a coupling or universally flexible powertransmission means including a constant velocity universal joint, theconnection preferably being of the high angle type employing bellhousings, as 47 and 48. The bell housing 47 is formed upon the aft endof the shaft 46 and receives a journal mounting from the gimbal housing34 by means of a ball bearing 50. The bell housing 48 is formed upon thefront end of a shaft 51 journaled by a ball bearing 52 in the necksection 42 of the gimbal body 40. The two bell housings 47 and 48 faceone another, and driving connection between the two is obtained by astud shaft 53 splined by its ends to a respective one of two innerraces, as 54 and 55, provided for motion-transmitting hardened steelballs 56. A set of such balls is provided for each of the two bellhousings, with each such set rolling in grooved raceways 57 spaced apartat equidistant intervals of the inner circumference. 58 and 59 designatereduction bevel gears passing the drive from the aft end of shaft 51 tothe head end of the tail shaft 44.

It will be seen that the power leg presents a forwardly extendingshoulder 60 located in spaced underlying relation to the gimbal body 40,and upon this shoulder there is provided a longitudinal rib 61 having asteeply sloped back edge and a moderately sloped front edge. The backedge functions as a catch. A bolt 62 complements this catch, beingyieldingly caught behind the catch by means of a spring 63 to normallylocate the power leg in the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1,namely normal to the rotary axis of the forward component of theconstant velocity universal joint.

Two jack-knifing links 64 and 65 are provided. Such links articulate, asat 66, and are pivoted by their outer ends one to the body component 40of the gimbal joint, as at 67, and the other to the gimbal ring 38, asat 68. The purpose of these links is to limit the upward swing movementof the power leg. The bolt 62 and its spring 63 are socket in one saidlink, namely the link 64, with the arrangement such that the pivot pin66 interrupts a shoulder 70 of the bolt to limit the travel of the boltas it is expressed by the spring. Link 64 also provide a socket 79 forthe reception of a normally inactive locking bolt 71. While not hereillustrated, means are provided by which a roller 72 carried upon alateral extension 73 of the locking bolt 71 is lowered automaticallyfrom a normal elevated position as the propeller of the boat is shiftedinto reverse.

There are a pair of said links 65, one located upon one side and theother upon the other side of the link 64, and the root pivots 68 arecarried by eye-bolts 74 which are arranged for fore-and-aft adjustmentupon mounting ears 75 which are made to turn bodily in unison with thegimbal ring 38. The bolts proper of the eye-bolts are received throughlongitudinal slots 76 of the mounting ears, with clamping nuts 77 beingcomplemented by interfitting serrations formed along the face of the earand the opposing face of a washer 78 underlying the head of theeye-bolt.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we have provided athrough-transom drive permitting the power leg to swing upwardly about atransverse horizontal axis automatically in response to engagement ofthe underwater portion of the leg with any obstruction creatingsufficient force to move the catch face of the rib 61, against theresistance imposed by spring 63, past the bolt 62. Upon clearing theobstruction the power leg returns by its own weight to operatingposition whereupon bolt 62 again lodges behind the catch.

The purpose of the adjustable setting, as between the eye-bolts 74 andthe mounting ears 75, is to change the direction of the thrust line soas to provide, for any given boat, the attack angle of the power legwhich best adapts itself to such boat. It will be noted that the slopeof the mounting ears closely approximates an are projected about a pointoccupied by the pin 67 when the latter moves to the upper extreme of theswing travel to which the power leg admits. The end accomplishment isthat the attack angle may be freely changed to any setting within thefore and aft limits of the mounting ears with out changing thepredetermined upper swing limit of the power leg.

By unhooking lever 27 from the pin 23, and swinging the lever into aposition whereat its camming toe is inactive, the gimbal housing may beturned 180 about the center of the driving shaft 46 as an axis so as toswing the power leg upwardly into and out-of-the-way position. Soplaced, the chordal flats 35 of the gimbal housings neck section 33 arelocated at the bottom in a position whereat the side flats 21 and 22 ofthe slugs 16 and 17 may be again'brought inwardly by camming action ofthe toe 30 to lock the power leg in said inverted position. Should it bedesired to remove the through-transom drive from the lbOZlt for repairor servicing, it is only necessary that the lever be unhooked, and thenut 24 unscrewed in a degree sufiicient to back off the locking slugs sothat the center ribs 20 are completely clear of the center-bore 15. Theclutch-driven shaft has a spline connection with the driven side of theclutch, thus permitting the entire outboard structure including saidshaft to be removed bodily.

The pins of the gimbal joint have as their function to permit horizontalswing movement of the power leg in either lateral direction, forpurposes of steering the boat. Steering lines 80 and 81 (see FIG. 7)attach to ears 82 formed upon oppoiste sides of the power leg at thehead end thereof.

It is thought that the invention will have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description of the illustrated preferredembodiment. Minor changes will suggest themselves and may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention, wherefor it isintended that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadestinterpretation to which the employed language admits.

What is claimed is:

1. In a through transom drive, in combination with a hollow forwarddrive support housing fixedly associated with the hull of a boat andoccupying an inboard position registering with an opening in the boatstransom, an outboard power leg carrying a propeller at its lower end, ajointed outboard housing comprising front and rear hollow sections ofwhich the rear section is rigidly attached by its rear end to the powerleg and extends forwardly therefrom, means removably connecting thefront end of said front outboard housing section to the rear end of saiddrive support with said connected ends co-axial and supporting saidoutboard housing for swivel movement about the hollow centers of theconnected ends as an axis, said means comprising a rearwardly facinground socket presented by said drive support into which said frontoutboard housing section is removably fitted and locking means forreleasably locking such front section against removal from said socket,and a drive from an inboard engine passing through the hollow centers ofthe forward and outboard housings and connecting with apropeller-driving shaft in the power leg, the joint of said outboardhousing being so formed as to permit the rear housing section with itssupported power leg to swing in both directions laterally about avertical axis for steering the boat and to tilt upwardly about ahorizontal axis for raising the propeller, said tilting and swing axesapproximately traversing one another, the support given by said jointedoutboard housing to the power leg being such that when the boat is underway the power leg is enabled to tilt upwardly automatically byengagement of the underwater portion thereof with an obstruction in thewater, while imposing such yielding resistance thereto as normally tohold the power leg at a given attack angle.

2. In a through-transom drive, in combination with a hollow forwarddrive support fixedly associated with the hull of a boat and occupyingan inboard position registering with an opening in the boats transom, anoutboard power leg carrying a propeller at its lower end, a jointedhollow outboard housing free of said transom and comprising front andrear sections of which the front end of the front section detachablyinterfits with said drive support and extends rearwardly therefrom andthe rear end of the rear section is rigidly attached to the power legand extends forwardly therefrom, and a drive from an inboard enginepassing through said drive support and said two sections of the outboardhousing and connecting with a propeller-driving shaft in the power leg,said drive including fore and aft shafts joined within said outboardhousing by a universal connection and said fore shaft being detachablefrom a drive connection to said engine, the joint between said front andrear sections of the outboard housing being so formed as to permit therear section with its supported power leg to swing in both directionslaterally about a vertical axis for steering the boat and to tiltupwardly about a horizontal axis for raising the propeller, saidtilting-and swing axes approximately traversing one another, the supportgiven by said two sections of the outboard housing to the power legbeing such that when the boat is under way the power leg is enabled totilt upwardly automatically by engagement of the underwater portionthereof with an obstruction in the water, while imposing such yieldingresistance thereto as normally to hold the power leg at a given attackangle, said outboard housing together with said shafts and power legbeing bodily removable rearwardly from said boat as a unit independentlyof said drive support and engine.

3. In a through transom drive, an outboard power leg means adapted topropel a vessel in a buoyant medium, said vessel having a transom meansenclosing the stern of said vessel, means for defining an openingthrough the transom means, propeller means disposed at the lower end ofsaid power leg means and adapted to be driven by a power transfermechanism, said power transfer mechanism comprising gear means locatedwithin said power leg means, power leg support means located below thetop of and disposed adjacent said means defining said opening in saidtransom and being connected to said vessel, means defining a centralopening in said support means, a unitary intermediate means located onthe outboard side of said transom and comprising a gimbal, firstmounting means operatively supporting said gimbal means on said supportmeans about a vertical axis with respect to said vessel for oscillatorymovement of said gimbal means with respect to said support means aboutsaid vertical axis, second mounting means operatively supporting saidpower leg means on said gimbal means about a horizontal axis withrespect to said vessel for oscillatory movement of said power leg meanswith respect to said gimbal means about said horizontal axis, said powertransfer mechanism comprising first torque transmitting means supportedfor rotation in said opening in said power leg supporting means anddrivingly connected with a prime mover adapted to be disposed withinsaid vessel, second torque transmitting means supported for rotation insaid power leg means and drivingly connected with said propeller means,universally flexible torque transmitting means drivingly connecting saidfirst torque transmitting means with said second torque transmittingmeans, said first torque transmitting means including a portion beingdisposed in said central opening in said support means, said powertransfer mechanism comprising a vertically disposed shaft means in saidpower leg means and extending upwardly no higher than a short distanceabove said universally flexible torque transmitting means so that saidpower leg means is movable to a tilt-up position, and said axes being insubstantially intersecting relationship with said universally flexibletorque transmitting means so that said outboard power leg is movableabout said axes to steer the vessel and to tilt the outboard power leg,respectively.

4. A marine drive for a vessel having a stern closure means, a primemover disposed within said vessel forward of said stern closure means,an outboard power leg operatively connected with said vessel and beingdisposed rearward of said stern closure means, propeller means disposedat a lower end of said power leg, power leg sup porting means comprisinga portion positioned on the aft side of said stern closure means andconnected with said vessel, a first mounting means coincident with asteering axis of said outboard power leg, a second mounting meanscoincident with a tilt-up axis of said outboard power leg, unitaryintermediate means located on the aft side of said stern closure meansand being oscillatably connected with said power leg supporting means byone of said mounting means, said unitary intermediate means beingoscillatably connected with said power leg by the other of said mountingmeans, a power transmitting means passing through an opening in saidstern closure means and drivingly connecting said prime mover with saidpropeller means, said power transmitting means comprising a verticalshaft means in said power leg which extends upwardly in the power leg nohigher than a short distance above said tilt-up axis so that said powerleg is movable to a tilt-up position, said power transmitting meansfurther comprising a universally flexible torque transmitting meansdisposed on or near each of said axes whereby during steer- -ing ortilt-up of said outboard power leg, said power transmitting means isarticulated through said universally flexible torque transmitting meansthus providing a torque transmitting connection to said propeller duringeither tilt-up or steering of said power leg.

5. In a through transom drive, a vertically disposed outboard power legmeans adapted to propel a marine vessel in a buoyant medium, said vesselcomprising a stern closure means having an upper portion, means fordefining an opening through the stern closure means, propeller meansdisposed at the lower end of said power leg means and adapted to bedriven by a power transfer mechanism, said power transfer mechanismcomprising gear means located within said power leg means, power legsupports means located below the upper portion of said transom andpositioned adjacent said means defining said opening in said transom,means connecting said support means to said vessel, means defining acentral opening in said support means, a unitary intermediate means,first mounting means operatively connecting said unitary intermediatemeans on said support means for oscillatory movement of said unitaryintermediate means with respect to said support means about a firstaxis, second mounting means operatively supporting said power leg meanson said unitary intermediate means for oscillatory movement of saidpower leg means with respect to said unitary intermediate means about asecond axis, said power transfer mechanism comprising first torquetransmitting means drivingly connected with a prime mover, and beingsupported for rotation in said opening in said transom, second torquetransmitting means drivingly connected with said propeller means andbeing supported for rotation in said power leg means, universallyflexible torque transmitting means drivingly connecting said firsttorque transmitting means with said second torque transmitting means,said first torque transmitting means including a portion being disposedin said central opening in said support means, said first axis beingdisposed substantially normal to said second axis, said power leg meanshaving an upper housing portion extending upwardly no higher than ashort distance above said universally flexible torque transmitting meansso that said power leg means is movable to a tilt-up position, and saidaxes being in substantially intersecting relationship with saiduniversally flexible torque transmitting means so that said outboardpower leg is movable about said axes to tilt upwardly and to steer,respectively.

6. In a marine drive, a combination comprising a vessel comprising astern closure means, a prime mover disposed within said vessel forwardof said stern closure means, vertically positioned outboard power legmeans connected with said vessel and being disposed rearwardly of saidstern closure means, propeller means disposed at a lower end of saidpower leg means, power leg supporting means connected with said vessel,unitary intermediate means, positioned rearwardly of said stern closuremeans, first mounting means operatively supporting said unitaryintermediate means on said power leg supporting means for rotarymovement of said unitary intermediate means with respect to said powerleg supporting means about a first axis, second mounting meansoperatively supporting said power leg means on said unitary intermediatemeans for rotary movement of said power leg means with respect to saidunitary intermediate means about a second axis, power transmitting meanspassing through an opening in said stern closure means and drivinglyconnecting said prime mover with said propeller means, means rotatablysupporting said power transmitting means in said opening in said sternclosure means, said power transmitting means comprising a universallyflexible torque transmitting means, and means comprising a power legupper housing portion extending upwardly no higher than a short distanceabove said universally flexible torque transmitting means and furthercomprising said unitary intermediate means to allow said outboard powerleg to tilt upwardly and to steer about said axes.

7. In a through transom drive, in combination with a hollow forwarddrive support housing fixedly associated with the hull of a boat andregistering with an opening in the boats transom, an outboard power legcarrying a propeller at its lower end, a jointed outboard housingcomprising front and rear hollow sections of which the rear section isrigidly attached by its rear end to the power leg and extends forwardlytherefrom, means connecting the front end of said front outboard housingsection to the rear end of said drive support with said connected endsco-axial and supporting said outboard housing for swivel movement aboutthe hollow centers of the connected ends as an axis, said meanscomprising a rearwardly facing round socket presented by said drivesupport into which said front outboard housing section is fitted, powertransmitting drive means operatively connected with an inboard engineand passing through the hollow centers of the forward and outboardhousings and connecting with a propeller-driving shaft in the power leg,means rotatably supporting said power transmitting means in said forwardand outboard housings, means including the joint of said outboardhousing being so formed as to permit the rear housing section with itssupported power leg to swing in both directions laterally about avertical axis for steering the boat and to tilt upwardly about ahorizontal axis for raising the propeller, said tilting and swing axesapproximately traversing one another, said power transmitting drivemeans including universally flexible power transmitting means disposedon or near the traverse portion of said axis, and the support given bysaid jointed outboard housing to the power leg being such that when theboat is under way the power leg is enabled to tilt upwardlyautomatically by engagement of the underwater portion thereof with anobstruction in the water, while imposing such yielding resisstancethereto as normally to hold the power leg at a given attack angle.

8. In a through-transom drive, in combination with a hollow forwarddrive support fixedly associated with the hull of a boat and registeringwith an opening in the boats transom, an outboard power leg carrying apropeller at its lower end, a jointed hollow outboard housing comprisingfront and rear sections of which the front end of the front sectioninterfits with said drive support and extends rearwardly therefrom andthe rear end of the rear section is rigidly attached to the power legand extends forwardly therefrom, power transmitting drive means from aninboard engine passing through said drive support and said two sectionsof the outboard housing and connecting with a propeller-driving shaft inthe power leg, said drive means including fore and aft shafts joinedwithin said outboard housing by a universal connection, bearing meansrotatably supporting said drive means for rotation in said two sectionsof said outboard housing, means including the joint between said frontand rear sections of the outboard housing being so formed as to permitthe rear section with its supported power leg to swing in bothdirections laterally about a vertical axis for steering the boat and totilt upwardly about a horizontal axis for raising the propeller, saidtilting and swing axes approximately traversing one another, saiduniversal connection being disposed on or near the traverse portion ofsaid axes, and the support given by said two sections of the outboardhousing to the power leg being such that when the boat is under way thepower leg'is enabled to tilt upwardly automatically by engagement of theunderwater portion thereof with an obstruction in the water, whileimposing such yielding resistance thereto as normally to hold the powerleg at a given attack angle.

9. In a device according to claim 6, said outboard power leg having aforwardly facing, hollow, hemispherically shaped portion disposed at theupper portion of said power leg and said second mounting means pivotallyconnecting said hemispherically shaped portion to said unitaryintermediate nre-ans.

10. In a device according to claim 6, said unitary intermediate meanscomprising a substantially ring shaped portion, and said power leghaving a hemispherically shaped portion disposed adjacent said ringshaped portion.

11. In an outboard drive assembly for a walled vessel having an inboardsource of motive power positioned adjacent an apertured vessel transomwall, a drive means comprising in combination, a universally flexiblepower transmission having a substantially coaxial input shaft and outputshaft respectively adapted to be drivingly coupled to the inboard sourceof motive power and to the outboard drive assembly, a drive supportmember having a portion extending through said transom wall and aportion extending rearwardly of the transom wall, said outboard driveassembly rotatably supporting the output shaft for driving coactiontherewith, and an intermediate member pivotally supported for rotationabout one axis on the rearward portion of the drive support member andhaving means pivotally supporting the outboard power leg means forrotation about a transverse axis substantially intersecting said oneaxis and coacting to provide a compound pivotal movement for theoutboard power leg means relative to the drive support member, and saidoutboard power leg comprising an upper extremity extending upwardly nohigher than a short distance above said coaxial input shaft and outputshaft so that said power leg means is movable to a tilt-up position.

12. In an outboard drive assembly for a walled vessel having an inboardsource of motive power positioned adjacent an apertured vessel transomwall, a drive means comprising in combination an outboard power leg, auniversally flexible power transmission having a substantially coaxialinput shaft and output shaft, respectively, adapted to be drivinglycoupled to the inboard source of motive power and to the outboard driveassembly, a drive support member adapted to be mounted in the aperturedvessel transom wall for driving access to the inboard source of motivepower, said outboard drive assembly comprising said outboard power legrotatably supporting the output shaft for driving coaction therewith, anintermediate member pivotally supported for rotation about an uprightaxis on the drive support member and having means pivotally supportingthe outboard power leg means for rotation about a transverse axissubstantially intersecting said upright axis and coacting to provide acompound pivotal movement for the outboard drive assembly relative tothe drive support member so that said intermediate member is oscillatedfor steering said outboard drive assembly and the kick-up movement ofsaid outboard drive assembly is independent of said intermediate member,and said outboard power leg comprising an upper housing portionextending upwardly no higher than a short distance above said coaxialinput shaft and output shaft to enable the kick-up movement to beeffected.

13. A marine drive for a vessel having a stern closure means, a primemover disposed within said vessel forward of said stern closure means,an outboard power leg being disposed rearward of said stern closuremeans and operatively connected with said vessel, propeller meansoperatively connected with said power leg, power leg supporting meansconnected with said vessel, a first mounting means coincident with asteering axis of said outboard power leg, :1 second mounting meanscoincident with a tilt-up axis of said outboard power leg, intermediatemeans located on the aft side of said stern closure means and beingoscillatably connected with said power leg supporting means by one ofsaid mounting means, said intermediate means being oscillatablyconnected with said power leg by the other of said mounting means, apower transmitting means passing through an opening in said sternclosure means and drivingly connecting said prime mover with saidpropeller means, said power transmitting means comprising a universallyflexible torque transmitting means disposed on or near each of saidaxes, means rotatably supporting said power transmitting means, saidpower leg comprising an upper housing portion being positioned no higherthan a short distance above said tilt-up axis so that said power leg isfree to move to a tilt-up position, means comprising said intermediatemeans, said outboard power leg and said universally flexible torquetransmitting means arranged so that during steering or tilt-up of saidoutboard power leg, said power transmitting means is articulated throughsaid universally flexible torque transmitting means to provide a torquetransmitting connection to said propeller during either tilt-up orsteering of said outboard power leg.

14-. In an outboard drive assembly for a walled vessel having an inboardsource of motive power positioned adjacent an apertured vessel transomwall, a drive means comprising in combination, an outboard power leg, auniversally flexible power transmission means having a substantiallycoaxial input shaft and output shaft, respectively, adapted to bedrivingly coupled to the inboard source of motive power and to theoutboard power leg, a drive support member having a portion extendingthrough said transom wall and a portion extending rearwardly of thetransom wall and connected with the vessel, said outboard power legcomprising means for rotatably supporting the output shaft for drivingcoaction with the input shaft, an intermediate member pivotallysupported for movement about a vertical axis on the rearward portion ofthe drive support member and having means supporting the outboard powerleg for movement about a transverse axis substantially intersecting saidvertical axis and coacting to provide a compound pivotal movement of theoutboard power leg relative to the drive support member, said outboardpower leg comprising an upper housing portion extending no higher than ashort distance above said coaxial input shaft and output shaft to enablethe power leg to be movable to a fully tilted position.

15. A marine drive for a vessel having a stern closure means, a primemover disposed within said vessel forward of said stern closure means,vertically positioned outboard power leg means being disposed rearwardlyof said stern closure means and being operatively connected with saidvessel, propeller means disposed at a lower end of said power leg means,power leg supporting means connected with said vessel, an intermediatemember positioned rearwardly of said stern closure means, first mountingmeans carried by said power leg supporting means comprising at least onevertically disposed means operatively supporting said intermediatemember on said power leg supporting means for movement of saidintermediate member with respect to said power leg supporting meansabout a vertical axis of movement of said vertically disposed means,second mounting means on said power leg means comprising at least onehorizontally disposed means operatively supporting said power leg meanson said intermediate member for movement of said power leg means withrespect to said intermediate member about a horizontalaxis of movementof said horizontally disposed means, power transmitting means passingthrough an opening in said stern closure means and drivingly connectingsaid prime mover with said propeller means, said power transmittingmeans comprising a universally flexible torque transmitting meansdisposed on or near each of said axes, and means comprising saidintermediate member, said universally flexible torque transmittingmeans, and said power leg means, to allow said power leg means to tiltupwardly about said horizontal axis and to steer about said verticalaxis while power is transmitted through said power transmitting means tosaid propeller.

16. A marine drive for a vessel having a stern closure means, a primemover disposed within said vessel forward of said stern closure means,an outboard power leg disposed rearwardly of said stern closure meansand being operatively connected with said vessel, propeller meansoperatively connected with said power leg, power leg supporting meansconnected with said vessel, coaxial vertically spaced mounting meanspositioned on said power leg supporting means, gimbal means operativelyconnected with said vertically spaced mounting means to provide foroscillatory movement of said gimbal means about the axis of saidvertically spaced mounting means, coaxial horizontally spaced mountingmeans positioned on said gimbal means, said power leg being operativelyconnected with said horizontally spaced mounting means, said power legcomprising a forwardly projecting portion disposed for selectiveinterfitting relationship with said gimbal means, a power transmittingmeans, disposed in an opening in said stern closure means and drivinglyconnecting said prime mover with said propeller means, means rotatablysupporting said power transmitting means, said power transmitting meanscomprising universally flexible torque transmitting means disposedbetween said vertically spaced mounting means and said horizontallyspaced mounting means, respectively, so that said power leg is steerableabout the axis of said vertically spaced mounting means and is tiltableupwardly about the axis of said horizontally spaced mounting meansduring transmission of power from the prime mover to the propeller meansthrough the universally flexible torque transmitting means.

17. In a boat having a stern transom with an opening therethroughspacedly below the upper edge of the transom, an outboard housing spacedaft of said transom and having an upper end portion aligned with saidopening, an inboard engine having a rearwardly extending driving elementsubstantially coaxially aligned with said transom opening, said drivingelement having a rearward end, flexible connecting shaft means connectedto said driving element and extending aft thereof, said shaft means anddriving element establishing a drive connection from said inboard enginethrough said transom opening to said outboard housing, said shaft meansbeing flexible between said transom and said upper end portion of saidhousing, a propeller mounted on said housing below said upper endportion, means in said housing for connecting said propeller to saiddrive connection, a generally vertical pivot pin and a horizontal pivotpin each located outwardly of said flexible shaft means and beingdisposed between said transom and said upper end portion of saidoutboard housing, a support member disposed between said transom andsaid upper end portion of said housing, means comprising one of saidpins supportingly connecting said support member to said boat forpivoting of said support member with respect to said transom on the axisof said one pin, and means comprising said other pin supportinglyconnecting said housing to said support member for pivoting of saidhousing with respect to said support member on the axis of said otherpin, said upper end portion of said housing terminating upwardlyslightly above the level of said horizontal pivot pin.

18. A marine drive for a vessel having a stern closure means, a primemover disposed within said vessel forward of said stern closure means,an outboard power leg operatively connected with said vessel and beingdisposed rearward of said stern closure means, propeller means disposedat a lower end of said power leg, power leg supporting means comprisinga portion positioned on the aft side of said stern closure means andconnected with said vessel, a first mounting means coincident with asteering axis of said outboard power leg, a second mounting meanscoincident with a tilt-up axis of said outboard power leg, anintermediate support member located on the aft side of said sternclosure means and being os- I 1 cillatably connected with said power legsupporting means by one of said mounting means, said intermediate memberbeing oscillatably connected with said power leg by the other of saidmounting means, a power transmitting means passing through an opening insaid stern closure means and drivingly connecting said prime mover withsaid propeller means, said power transmitting means comprising anupright shaft in said power leg, said power leg being movable on saidtilt-up axis to a tilt-up position, said upright shaft being laterallyspaced from said first mounting means, said power transmitting meansfurther comprising a universally flexible torque transmitting meansdisposed on or near each of said axes whereby, during steering ortilt-up of said outboard power leg, said power transmitting means isarticulated through said universally flexible torque transmitting meansthus providing a torque transmitting connection to said propeller duringeither tilt-up or steering of said power leg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,195 12/ 1936 DeMichelis115-35 2,114,633 4/1938 Hedges 11535 2,507,844 5/1950 Wright 115-412,579,221 12/ 1951 Wanzer 115--35 10 2,755,766 7/1956 Wanzer 11535FOREIGN PATENTS 340,367 1/1931 Great Britain.

15 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

A. MITCHELL, T. MAJOR, Assistant Examiners.

4. A MARINE DRIVE FOR A VESSEL HAVING A STERN CLOSURE MEANS, A PRIMEMOVER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID VESSEL FORWARD OF SAID STERN CLOSURE MEANS,AN OUTBOARD POWER LEG OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID VESSEL AND BEINGDISPOSED REARWARD OF SAID STERN CLOSURE MEANS, PROPELLER MEANS DISPOSEDAT A LOWER END OF SAID POWER LEG, POWER LEG SUPPORTING MEANS COMPRISINGA PORTION POSITIONED ON THE AFT SIDE OF SAID STERN CLOSURE MEANS ANDCONNECTED WITH SAID VESSEL, A FIRST MOUNTING MEANS COINCIDENT WITH ASTEERING AXIS OF SAID OUTBOARD POWER LEG, A SECOND MOUNTING MEANSCOINCIDENT WITH A TILT-UP AXIS OF SAID OUTBOARD POWER LEG, UNITARYINTERMEDIATE MEANS LOCATED ON THE AFT SIDE OF SAID STERN CLOSURE MEANSAND BEING OSCILLATABLY CONNECTED WITH SAID POWER LEG SUPPORTING MEANS BYONE OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS, SAID UNITARY INTERMEDIATE MEANS BEINGOSCILLATABLY CONNECTED WITH SAID POWER LEG BY THE OTHER OF SAID MOUNTINGMEANS, A POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS PASSING THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAIDSTERN CLOSURE MEANS AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAID PRIME MOVER WITH SAIDPROPELLER MEANS, SAID POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS COMPRISING A VERTICALSHAFT MEANS IN SAID POWER LEG WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY IN THE POWER LEG NOHIGHER THAN A SHORT DISTANCE ABOVE SAID TILT-UP AXIS SO THAT SAID POWERLEG IS MOVABLE TO A TILT-UP POSITION, SAID POWER TRANSMITTING MEANSFURTHER COMPRISING A UNIVERSALLY FLEXIBLE TORQUE TRANSMITTING MEANSDISPOSED ON OR NEAR EACH OF SAID AXES WHEREBY DURING STEERING OR TILT-UPOF SAID OUTBOARD POWER LEG, SAID POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS IS ARTICULATEDTHROUGH SAID UNIVERSALLY FLEXIBLE TORQUE TRANSMITTING MEANS THUSPROVIDING A TORQUE TRANSMITTING CONNECTION TO SAID PROPELLER DURINGEITHER TILT-UP OR STEERING OF SAID POWER LEG.